Potential is innate. It's probably fixed, at least by 2-3yo.


Failure to reach that potential is variable, and attribution is also highly variable. It can happen for a lot of reasons-- structural, socioeconomic, motivational, etc. Or, in Val's list-- because of external factors which attenuate that original potential in some way.

SO sure, growth mindset speaks to the motivational limitations, which can be among the most potent limitations (since they don't respond to external mitigation or intervention).

Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar. And doesn't.